'Bessie' Ladder Braced 12 string
Jan 29, 2019 2:32:51 GMT
ocarolan, leoroberts, and 3 more like this
Post by alexkirtley on Jan 29, 2019 2:32:51 GMT
I've been planning one of these for a long time, always wanted a Stella 12 string, could never afford one so may as well make one.
I'll try to list some planned specs, though some may be make it up as I go along
26 1/2" Scale Length
1 7/8" Nut width
Ladder Braces W/ Tailpiece
Mahogany Back/Sides
Spruce Top
Mahogany Neck
Slotted Headstock
16 1/8" Lower Bout (Was going for 16" but the mold worked out slightly oversize, might narrow it a bit)
I made the Plans using images of old stellas as a reference, some measurements made from scaled up measurements from the computer, others just drawn to how I thought looked right
The Last couple days I've been making the mold, this mold worked out a lot better than my first, very sturdy, quite happy with it.
The Back and sides and neck are taken from old mahogany window frames and window ledges, I spent a few months working helping out around a glazing workshop a while ago, and I used to go skip diving a lot, one day a set of mahogany window frames came in that had been torn out on a job, good solid mahogany with good grain orientation which meant I managed to get the back and sides pretty near perfectly quarter sawn, the back is 3 piece as the window ledge wasn't quite wide enough for a 2 piece back.
those cuts made when my bandsaw worked, it's in storage currently, when it gets moved when we move house in about a month I need to try and fix the motor, or buy another one, smaller and more mobile maybe.
Anyway, here is where I'm up to so far, hopefully tomorrow or the following day I'll be able to get the sides bent, I'm just doing things as and when I can afford to buy bits and bobs, once the sides are in, I'll try and get some neck/tail block, kerfins,center strip and brace wood
I'll try to list some planned specs, though some may be make it up as I go along
26 1/2" Scale Length
1 7/8" Nut width
Ladder Braces W/ Tailpiece
Mahogany Back/Sides
Spruce Top
Mahogany Neck
Slotted Headstock
16 1/8" Lower Bout (Was going for 16" but the mold worked out slightly oversize, might narrow it a bit)
I made the Plans using images of old stellas as a reference, some measurements made from scaled up measurements from the computer, others just drawn to how I thought looked right
The Last couple days I've been making the mold, this mold worked out a lot better than my first, very sturdy, quite happy with it.
The Back and sides and neck are taken from old mahogany window frames and window ledges, I spent a few months working helping out around a glazing workshop a while ago, and I used to go skip diving a lot, one day a set of mahogany window frames came in that had been torn out on a job, good solid mahogany with good grain orientation which meant I managed to get the back and sides pretty near perfectly quarter sawn, the back is 3 piece as the window ledge wasn't quite wide enough for a 2 piece back.
those cuts made when my bandsaw worked, it's in storage currently, when it gets moved when we move house in about a month I need to try and fix the motor, or buy another one, smaller and more mobile maybe.
Anyway, here is where I'm up to so far, hopefully tomorrow or the following day I'll be able to get the sides bent, I'm just doing things as and when I can afford to buy bits and bobs, once the sides are in, I'll try and get some neck/tail block, kerfins,center strip and brace wood
Jo whoever he is.
